Romance Books

In this day and age of equalness it is is good to see that men and women are allowed to be different and how to deal with this. It is time that we recognise and honour how each can bring their own strengths to a relationship, and in this way creating strong bonds rather than grounds to differ. Deida has created a new way to look at this and to find and apply solutions. Give Him Back His Balls

I ripped through this book in a few hours; I just could not put it down.

David Deida is the first person I've ever heard so honestly identify and poetically communicate the true nature of the male/female relationship. For women who grew up in the 70's over developing accomplishment, intelligence and independence and woke up one day realizing they were actually craving more traditional roles, this book beautifully describes why that is so.

This book was recommended to me by some highly evolved people and after reading it, I can see why. Deida connects spiritual purpose as the basis of relationship fulfillment and that women -- especially the strong ones -- want nothing more than a man to be masculine enough to live his life "guided by (his) deepest truths, not (his) untended childhood wounds."

It is astounding the full circle our society has made from discrimination to the dawning of equal rights and now a swing back to traditional roles. Deida exquisitely explains how the biological roles operate now, however, with an all-pervading self awareness of a man's true spiritual nature which creates his "purpose" and becomes the driver of his human relationships. Bravo!

Deida reiterates the concept of "freedom" being so important for a man. On the surface, this could be a scary concept for an un-evolved woman to hear, but I found it fascinating how he discusses this as a deepening of integrity, celebration of masculinity and even goes so far as to describe it as the ultimate release of the human ego from the spiritual self. He teaches men to recognize their truest nature, part of which he describes as "build up and release" and metaphorically explains how this connects to sexual prowess, work, relationship and self understanding.

This is not some "airy fairy" stuff, it is real world, real gender issue-based observation that takes the popular "Men are from Mars: Women from Venus" concept to the 10th power.

Deida talks about the "polarity" of the male and feminine and I can see this is indeed the secret to the most deeply fulfilling relationships. In my mind, this book illuminates why the "feminization of men," served up so vehemently in the 1960's and 1970's, has been so damaging to relationships today. I thought I was one of the only crazy women who advocates men reclaiming their masculinity. Deida explains how a return to masculinity is not a reckless return to the Lazy-Boy-In-The-Garage-With-A-Beer-And-Football-Game brand of machismo, but a doorway to being a connected, natural and aware male who recognizes his gifts and that of his female companion as different, complementary, yet ultimately the same. There is nothing better than a man who has the unshakable maleness to see through my female emotionality and love me despite it. Deida discusses how this happens in utter detail.

Grateful for these insights.

Obviously, I am not the ideal target audience for this book.

This book was recommended to me by a friend. I found it a confronting and difficult read. That said; it did seem to explain some of the unfortunate dynamics that I have witnessed between men and women in the boardroom.

Deida starts from the contention that men and women are vastly different. This shouldn't be a difficult idea to defend. However, when descriptions of the feminine character seem to include notions of mindless vacillation it is hard for a woman who has earned a place in the higher echelons of business to sympathise with his point of view. Quotes such as "for the feminine, truth is a thin concept compared to the thickness of her flow of feelings" and "What your woman says is like a cloud passing in the sky; well formed, coherent, and unrecognizable moments later" raised feminist hackles I never knew I had.

Putting aside my automatic response to the evolutionary behaviouralism: The book is well written and thought provoking. The short chapters make it an excellent travelling companion and the introductory paragraphs before each chapter allow rapid assimilation of ideas. The book should comfort men who are uneasy with their role as masculine beings in workplaces replete with tough, dependable women. The advice to enjoy the delightful feeling that attractive women provoke in most men but not to act upon any sexual impulse arising from it would save plenty of employers the cost and distraction of harassment cases.

There is some good advice in this book. Recognising masculine and feminine traits, then selecting the most appropriate for each situation, may enable readers to be more effective in the modern workplace. Women readers will need to take a deep breath and remind themselves that Deida is talking about the superior man as compared to the inferior man and not as compared to women (whether superior or otherwise). Male readers will need to remember that, in a workplace where technical skills, contractual agreements and the supremacy of logic are the basis for success, they will be surrounded by women who act more like men and who expect to be accorded a masculine measure of respect.

Unlike Henry Higgins, Deida understands that for men and women to be more like each other is not always the best basis for exciting relationships, it may, however, be a good basis for trans-gender workplace friendships.

Now for the big question: Does this book help with exciting relationships outside the workplace? I'm not telling; you'll have to read it yourself!

I was in a relationship for eight years which ultimately failed, and this book is to some degree showing me where I went wrong. Although I would like to think that there are some women out there to whom his his teachings don't apply to, I think most women are as irrational as this book suggests. Its a great book to help you understand most women and how to ignite their sexual attraction for you. What I find unfortunate is Deida is reminding me that that the burden of generating romantic interest falls on men, but if you want a girl in your life his is a good book to teach you how to keep the attraction alive.

Only a complete sociopath could've written this book. There is absolutely nothing "spiritual" about misogyny and narcissism. Anyone who can say "her complaint is content-free" doesn't even think women are human. This book is absolute trash.

Most sequels usually are not as good as the first book, not so with INTO THE SHADOW. With each consecutive book, it just keeps getting better and better.

I LOVED the characters of Arik and Karen. Arik was extremely sexy and Karen was his perfect partner, even though she didn't know it at the time. The book, in parts, had me in tears, weeping for both hero and heroine. Out of the books thus far, this one is even steamer than its predecessors.

Dodd keeps the story going and doesn't miss a beat. Fast paced and entralling it keeps you intrigued until the very last page. In fact this one took me by surprise at the end of the book. I won't give anything away, only to say I'm eager to read the last novel in the series.

This was an interesting addition to the DC series. Adrik is quite different from his brothers: (a) he's suffered, and (b) he likes his darker side (interesting). Thus, this book is necessarily darker than the previous books and Adrik is a more questionable "hero." Sometimes his behavior towards Karen is downright dastardly. At the same time, Dodd reveals enough of his character that we come to understand him, which makes him difficult to hate. When we later see his softer side and he makes penance for his actions (and what a penance, ouch!) it is more easy to believe Karen's feelings for him and accept them together. Once again, I appreciated that Dodd strayed from the boy meets girl-boy and girl like each other-now resist! formula and instead chose other elements for the book's conflict (those pesky Varinskis). Also typical of Dodd, the writing is polished and efficient, with no overly flowery writing or lagging moments. You can read this one straight through.

I had the worst time putting this novel down and ended up finishing it in one sitting. I thought it was wonderful! Jammed packed with adventure, battles, abuse, caveman tactics (he, he). The "bad" brother was definitely bad in all the good ways. With the exception of Zadist from Ward's Brotherhood series, Adrik (aka-Warlord) is my favorite "bad gone good" character.

This is a wonderful addition to this series. Ms Dodd accomplishes in the first 50 pages what some authors fail to in 400 ...establish sexual chemistry and a connection between the main characters under stressful circumstances, and in a short period of time.

In the beginning the author skillfully captures the hero's need to dominate/possess the heroine while simultaneously cherishing and protecting her in his own way. Meanwhile the heroine is deeply attracted to him, but unwilling to be "enslaved" or kept as anything like a possesion. She is her own person and doesn't compromise on that. Her internal conflict is great as she needs both him and freedom equally desperately. This conflict is a key challenge to their relationship when he starts to atone for his wrongs, but also allows the heroine to remain her own self.

I love Ms. Dodd's ability to create both strong female and male characters, and this story doesn't disappoint. It proceeds at a good pace and has entertaining dialogue. My one critique is the heroine's "uncaring" father's about-face and appearance at the end of the book was a little too convenient, but this didn't take away from my enjoyment.

Christina Dodd's characters are strong, stubborn, interesting, and fun. Some romances have rather cardboard male leads, but hers, thankfully, do not.

The background plot regarding the Varinski and Wilder families, the pact with the devil, and the prophecy to redeem the Wilder branch of the family is wonderfully conceived and executed. It's a fresh and fascinating take on things, and is used well to create a fast-paced and suspenseful plot that doesn't rely entirely on romance to keep it moving. I've never been entirely fond of books that rely wholly on the relationship struggles to keep things interesting---they almost always have to ratchet up the personality conflict artificially to keep things going. In this case, the Varinski mercenaries do a fine job of keeping things tense and dangerous as they seek to keep the Wilders from ending the pact.

Dodd conveys a tremendous sense of place. It's easy to see, taste, and feel each location in the book, from the mountains of Tibet to the luxurious gardens of a spa resort or the snowy cliff of a mountain. Her battles are well-drawn, and her sex scenes are hot, sexy, and moderately explicit. My only warning is that while Adrik is still in the grip of his darker side, he's rather domineering, and that includes the bedroom scenes---something that won't appeal to all audiences. This is definitely a romance, though, and one in which Karen wholly holds up her side of the struggle for survival.

All in all a gorgeous book, and I'm definitely reading the follow-on next.

I just discovered this author and love her work. So far I've purchased and read five of her books. Have thoroughly enjoyed all of them.

What a disappointment this book was. The author portrays Elizabeth as a mindless pawn in the hands of the traiterous Robert Dudley. Anyone who has done much reading about Queen Elizabeth I knows that she was a brilliant linguist and astute politician and was extrememly wise in her choice of advisors. No one put words or ideas in her head that were not her own. To portray her as an emptly headed, mindless individual with no thought beyond what Robert Dudley wanted does a great disservice to one of the most successful and brilliant historical figures ever. She was way ahead of her times in her thoughts on politics and religion. I would not have finished the book except I was hoping to see some redemption somewhere in the final pages. Shame on you Phillipa Gregory for your unfounded and false portrayal of Elizabeth.

I was a little disappointed. Primarily it's because I didn't like her portrait of Elizabeth. However accurate or inaccurate it may have been. Elizabeth is one of my heroes, but in this book she is whiny, capricious, indecisive, foolish..... I didn't like her at all. Allison Weir's portrait of the young Elizabeth in "The Lady Elizabeth" is more likeable, and yet apparently is still a version of Elizabeth that is grounded in the historical facts that are known.

However the mystery surrounding Amy Rosbarth was very interesting. This is worth reading if you are a Gregory fan or a Tudor history fan.

Virgin's Lover / 0-7432-6926-8

I really cannot understand why Gregory books seem to be so hit-or-miss. The Constant Princess was wonderful - great history, great story. The Other Boleyn Girl was, well, it was poor history but a decent story, and that's really all that matters. The Virgin's Lover isn't even a good story, and I really cannot understand why.

The story ostensibly centers around Amy Robsart, Robert Dudley's wife. Amy is distressed that her husband, upon Elizabeth's recent rise to the throne, now has a place at the palace in the new queen's court. This upsets her because, in typical Gregory fashion, the political marriage between Amy and Robert is really a romantic marriage between two lovers. However, we have to take Gregory's word on this matter - the two 'lovers' are invariably nasty and cruel to each other, with Robert being unforgivably distant (he does not even send a message when he is absent over Christmas) and Amy being petty, childish, and nagging (telling him that a dream of his father's death is an omen to stay out of battle - as though Robert has a choice in the matter - and greeting him smugly after the battle when his brother has just died). Amy also invariably prays for the death of Queen Elizabeth when it would be far more realistic for her to pray for the death of her callous husband - and we are told that Robert abandoned Amy long before Elizabeth came to the throne, so this animosity towards Elizabeth is deeply confusing, at best. With these strokes, Gregory has managed to give us two characters who are totally unsympathetic, with the end result that we do not particularly care about Amy's abandonment (we would abandon her, too) nor do we care about Robert's infidelity (we would know better than to love someone so worthless).

With the "main" characters thus rendered meaningless, all we have left is Elizabeth. This is where the novel's flaws show most badly - Elizabeth has been reduced to a silly, vacillating, pleasure-seeking, childish girl who is barely capable of making the slightest decision. She throws a very un-regal temper tantrum during her first royal mass, and leaves the pieces for the shrewd Dudley and Cecil to pick up for her. In fact, she manages to leave ALL the affairs of state to the two men, since the affairs of state are dreadfully dull and she is just a winsome 25 year old girl without a serious thought in her silly head. Until the next page, when we are told solemnly by Gregory that Elizabeth's long years of imprisonment and uncertainty seasoned and aged her and made her fit to rule. And yet, we turn the page, and there is stupid, childish Elizabeth again, because the plot demands that she be so. Honestly, if I didn't know the author better, I would assume that the writer had serious issues against women, that's how badly Elizabeth is portrayed here, and the characterization of her as a stupid promiscuous idiot flies in the face of all historical fact about the woman.

Which brings us to another major flaw in Gregory's writing here - 99 times out of a hundred in this book, she TELLS rather than SHOWS. A good author shows a characters emotions, reactions, conversations, and so on and the reader can intuit from these glimpses that the character is immature or childish or wise or altruistic or any number of character traits. Instead, Gregory just goes the lazy route and tells us "Elizabeth is this," or "Elizabeth is that," and thus is all subtlety lost completely. Paragraphs are written in this sort of style: "Dudley handled all the coronation details, because Elizabeth did not care how the coronation was planned, only that everything be perfect. Elizabeth never cared about the how or why - she was a player on a stage and she only demanded that the other actors play their parts perfectly." Well, that's certainly VERY compelling writing, except that it isn't. Good literature is not written this way. The same point could have come across much more memorably if Gregory had fabricated a conversation where Dudley tried to involve Elizabeth in the ceremonies and she reacted coolly with disinterest. This would have given us some insight into Elizabeth without having to simply memorize what Gregory tells us.

I really cannot recommend this book. Obviously, it has struck a tone with some readers and perhaps you will enjoy it, but I would recommend looking for it at the library before buying a copy. I felt that the history was bad, the writing was dull, the characters were irritating and uninteresting, and the story was lacking any kind of drama or interest.

I would be ashamed to put my name to this rubbish. That Philippa Gregory put her name on this is an embarrassment.

When reading reviews of products or books, I tend to take into most consideration those "middle-area" reviews, since they seem likely to be the most accurate. If only I had seriously read the 1-star reviews of this book. Nothing infuriated me more than to read a female novelist who wrote the Constant Princess (one of my more favorite historical novels - which gave a new, intelligent perspective to Catherine of Aragon) writing a novel about two women who are the most idiotic, insufferable and utterly unrelatable women I have ever heard tell of. The characters are first of all, not even remotely plausible - historically or in fiction.

Amy Robsart is portrayed as a wet blanket of a woman who cannot stand up for herself much less get over the fact that her marriage is ending. She is forever waiting for Robert Dudley, shown here as a miserable louse of a man, to return and live happily ever after with her. Cecil's character is tiresome, simply because he is rendered impotent by Dudley's and Elizabeth's characters, and instead of retaining dignity and poise is resentful and bitter.

Walsingham gets nary a mention and is instead merged into Cecil - pure laziness, really, especially since it's Cecil's made-up spy network that gets all the write up. Elizebeth herself is a woefully indecisive wanton tart, better suited to grocery aisle book cover than anything in a Philippa Gregory novel. Elizabeth, a woman considered to be fairly politically savvy in a time when women weren't even considered viable rulers, is utterly dependent upon men. When Cecil is away, she turns to Dudley to manage all of her affairs.

Worse, there are redundant phrases in the book, one being that Cecil rarely, if ever, puts his name on documents. Oh yes, because Cecil is the spymaster, right? And he's quite careful? This dumbed down repetitive tripe is a poor excuse for a novel, much less anything written by the Philippa Gregory I had come to respect as a writer. I am offended and insulted that this would pass among her fans, and I am dismayed to see so many giving it positive reviews. It's trash. Dressed up historical trash, but trash nonetheless.

The story is told from the perspectives of Robsart, Dudley and Cecil - never from Elizabeth's perspective at all. While this is somewhat typical of Gregory's work and writing technique, Elizabeth is too central and too enigmatic to benefit from it. Instead, the book seems lazily written, as if it's too much effort to imagine any plausible explanation or motivation for her behavior. Because Elizabeth was such an enigmatic ruler in reality, it's a shame that Gregory didn't think to writer from her perspective. Instead, Elizabeth is almost a sideline character, while the Men do Men things like rule her realm and tell her where to stand and what to do (quite literally - evidently, Elizabeth had no clue how to behave during royal entertainments, and depended upon Dudley to tell her exactly what to do).

There is nothing queenly about Elizabeth in this book. Nor is there anything dashing or appealing about Dudley. In a time when one's bed partners meant life or death, and Elizabeth had first hand experience with that (consider Seymour's beheading as a result of his treasonous plots including Elizabeth herself), it's impossible to believe that she would be so casual about her affairs. It's insulting, especially, considering the real Elizabeth was so careful and calculating.

Suffice it to say, I did pay money for this book (humorously, only because Alison Weir's book was out of stock). I fully intend to write a strongly worded letter to both Ms. Gregory and her publisher requesting a refund.

Elizabeth Boyle's latest historical, Tempted by the Night is a bit deceiving, especially by the cover. You would think this is a straight up historical romance. That is not the case. This is a historical paranormal romance and the next book in her Marlowe series about a very eccentric family who barely has any money and a mother who makes her children's lives a bit crazy. Tempted by the Night is about Hermione Marlowe, the sister of Sebastian, who was the hero in His Mistress by Morning. If you read His Mistress by Morning, then you know about a magic ring that is being tossed around. Anyone who wears the ring and makes a wish, that wish will come true. Hermione is the lucky girl this time to be in possession of the ring. Herimone or Minny as she is called by her friends and family has it bad for Thomas, the Earl of Rockhurst. He doesn't even know she is alive and Herimone is so far gone over the man she can hardly speak when she sees him. All she can do is moon over the handsome Earl and say, "Jiminy!" too many times to count. Yup, she is one of those heroines that has an annoying catch phrase.

Herimone wishes she was an invisible phantom from sunset to sunrise so she could follow Rockhurst around and find out all of his secrets. And guess what happens? Her wish comes true. Now poor Minny is invisible the moment the sun sets. This gives her the perfect reason to stalk Rochurst. And as she watches Rockhurst, who has a habit of going out late at night, she expects him to drink and whore the night away like most of the gentlemen of his ilk. Instead Rockhurst is on a special mission. He is known as the Paratus, a title passed down from his family from generation to generation. He must defeat the evil specter that is called Melaphor, who comes from another dimension and is killing people. Rockhurst, a.k.a. the Paratus must try and stop Melaphor from his reign of terror and either kill him or force him back to where he came from. But these two are equal in their abilities to stop one another and can never defeat the other. That is until, Rockhurst realizes he has a shadow, an invisible woman who tries to defend him.

This is where the story gets a little strange. Rockhurst is fine with some invisible London miss following him wherever he goes even though she won't say who she is. Herimone is afraid that if Rockhurst finds out who she is, he will run the other way and be disgusted with her. These two have actual conversations while Herimone is invisible. And the kicker? Rockhurst proceeds to have sex with Herimone many times while she is invisible and nameless, only calling her his Shadow. Some have raised the all important question whether Rockhurst can aim or see certain parts of his involved in the actual act since Herimone is invisible during it. Boyle solves this dilemma by having Rockhurst close his eyes. Apparently his skills go beyond just fighting forces of evil. He is quite skilled at having sex with an invisible partner.

If you can put all that aside, Tempted by the Night is actually a fun read, mainly because of the antics of the invisible super girl that is Herimone. For laughs and some interesting invisible action, try Tempted by the Night.

Katiebabs
His Mistress By Morning (Avon Romantic Treasure)

This is a paranormal! And there is nothing in the blurb, or on the cover or binding that lets you know this. That said- it was very well written and witty in places, but was really more of a fairy tale (he slays other dimension monsters and she has a magic ring) than a romance. Finished it and was satisfied but, really wish I knew what I was getting into before I started it.

This is one of Elizabeth Boyle's best offerings yet, very creative and different from her other books. As a fan I will usually snatch up her books as quickly as they come out, and I am thrilled that I found this one a little earlier than the actual release date (finished it in less than 24 hours!)

I'm not usually a fan of paranormals, but the thing about this book I loved the most were the surprises throughout the story. As a fan of historicals I have gotten a little bored with the common formula, and am very excited when someone comes up with a new variation. However, I believe explaining the plot to a potential reader is doing said reader a disservice with this one. Some reviews give too much away!

This is a great book, if you are looking for an up-all-nighter, you have found it! If you want to know what you are getting read Harriet K.'s review. If you want to be pleasantly surprised buy it and see for yourself. In my humble opinion you will be pleased you did!

Tracey Galbraith

In 1810 Lady Hermione Marlowe has loved the rogue Lord Rockhurst, but the rake seems to ignore her except with quick fleeting glances of desire when he thinks she is not looking. She wonders how to make him see her without causing a scandal and wishes to learn his deepest secrets as that will bolster her chances.

She is stunned when the ring she wears makes her invisible. She follows Rockhurst and learns what her heart has been saying; that he is not a scoundrel but instead he is London's protector, but she wonders who protects the protector. She vows her. When she saves his life coming out of nowhere, he calls her his "Shadow". As he tries to get her to back off from the danger of the night as only the Paratus would understand, Hermione refuses to heed his plea; instead she demands he allow her to join him in love protecting the innocent from evil.

Few authors use secret or mistaken identities as well as Elizabeth Boyle consistently does (see THIS RAKE OF MINE and LOVE LETTERS FROM A DUKE). This time the superb historical author has her intrepid heroine believe in her heart there is much more depth to the wastrel she loves (sort of believing Percy is the Scarlet Pimpernel with all proof to the contrary that he is a dandy). Hermione obtains the gimmick that lets her prove her theory with "stalking" her hero inside of a great Regency romantic adventure thriller while fans will be TEMPTED BY THE NIGHT to buy Ms. Boyle's backlist.

Harriet Klausner

The Earl and Countess of Lindsey have been married for years. Unable to cope with, accept, deal with the death of their toddler son, the two drift apart and become estranged. Nathan remains at the country home, Eastchurch while Evelyn flees to London. But with scandal brewing in London and Evelyn very possibly right in the middle of it, her husband, whom she hasn't seen in 3 years, comes to London and forces her to return home. The story that follows is a very poignant, eloquently written tale of two people struggling to come to terms with their son's death, the betrayal each of them felt in the aftermath and how they finally, together, sort through it and come to terms with it. I enjoyed watching their relationship grow and become strong again, the little blasts into the past and also Nathan's relationship with his butler, Benton. The quality of writing in this book rates right up there with London's Rogues of Regent Street series and is just as unputdownable.

Firstly, I consider myself a voracious reader of romance novels. As escapism there is no better substitute. I must own that many a time I have found myself frustrated by the idiocy of female characters as portrayed in historical romance and the need for writers to force happiness in situations where any sane minded woman (fictional or not!) would walk away. London's "Book of Scandal" was honestly, beautiful. There is SO much real emotion in this novel. The pain, the love and the conflicting emotions are beautifully portrayed, for both Nathan and Evelyn. This is the most satisfying novel that I have read in literally ages. The murder plot seemed unnecessary and a somewhat see-through attempt to lighten the story, but it was not enough to distract from the rest of the novel. I highly recommend "The Book of Scandal." It cleverly walks the line between romance and reality, showing that not all romance novels need to be based around 18 year olds reforming rakes or glib males who need to be "surprised" into falling in love. Nathan's character is given the same respect and depth of emotion as Evelyn, a welcome change. "The Book of Scandal" shows that love changes and develops overtime. Nathan and Evelyn are fully realized and leave the reader genuinely understanding and identifying with their situation, making the ending poignant and well deserved. I shed more than one tear as the novel reached its conclusion. Highly recommend.

I was really excited about this book, but for some reason I had a really hard time getting into it once I had it in my hands. The book details the reconciliation of an estranged couple (Lord and Lady Lindsey) who after the death of their young son have lived apart for three years.
For starters, the beginning of the book attempts to describe the scandal that will ensue once "The Book Of Scandal" is released into regency London, and how upon the books reading Lady Lindsey will be named in a scandal that could ruin the good name of Lindsey. Once this makes its was out to Lord Lindsey in rural England he is determined to get his wife back out to the country to tamper down the rumors of her and another man.
During all of this is some subplot about the king and the queen and the princes and princesses of Wales which, maybe I'm a little bit slow, but I had a really hard time following. With there being six different princesses I couldn't really follow who the main scandal was including.
Following Lady Lindsey's return to her old estate comes the memories of the son she lost, and her husband's betrayal. Attempts on her life and his desire to mend their relationship lead to a rather predictable outcome.
I liked the characters and I really wanted to like this book, but there was just something missing. I had a hard time feeling for her characters like in her "Rogues of Regent Street" series. Overall it was just okay for me, wait till you can get it for 50 cents used.

Nathan Grey, the Earl of Lindsay, has been living without his wife for the last three years. Following the death of their young son Robbie their relationship deteriorated and Evelyn went to London and became a helper to Princess Mary. However, rumours of Evelyn's affairs with Lord Dunhill may have landed her in a great deal of trouble as a royal scandal is brewing and she may be implicated. In order to preserve his family's good name, Nathan abducts Evelyn from London and returns her to their country estate, Eastchurch. There Nathan and Evelyn have to get to know each other again, to come to terms with their shared history and Evelyn has to learn to deal with her distress over the death of Robbie. But someone has followed them to Eastchurch and someone may be plotting against their lives.

This was an enjoyable book with some tearjerker moments and amusing sideplay with the butler, Benson. Both Nathan and Evelyn were appealing characters, despite their faults, and their reconciliation felt believable. There were some inaccuracies in terms of dialogue for the period but nothing too grating and the overall impression of the book was positive. It highlighted the rather inequitable societal opinion about men and their mistresses versus women and their chastity and there were, for this reader at least, a few question marks over Nathan's future faithfulness to his wife, but it was overall a good read.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book © Helen Hancox 2008

This is a book that captures your attention with the depth of the circumstances of the hero and heroine. It can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming for the reader, and I found myself in need of a little comic relief more than once (more than the empty threats to the butler). The overwhelming grief that the H/H both feel almost spills over to the reader, so be ready. I love this couple and their attempt to rebuild the "scaffolding" of their marriage. I'm not certain the murder attempts added anything to the story - detracted from it in my opinion. The story could have been strong enough on its own, without that. There were enough factors and characters to keep the story interesting as the H/H carved new paths to one another. As it is, it is a heavy read but the love of the H/H is touching and heartfelt.
BTW, the previous reviewer calls the heroine Evangeline...her name was Evelyn (Evie, for short)...maybe it was different in an advanced copy or something???; also the separation was 3 years, not 5; and the heroine was not completely prim and proper in London, hence, adding to their marital woes.

A typical Debbie Macomber story. The whole series needs to be read to enjoy fully. A perfect 'rainy day' read.

This is the fourth book in Deb Macomber's Cedar Cove series starts us in B&B with Bob and Peggy trying to solve the mystery of the murder of one of Bob's old war buddies. Much like all of Deb's books this fourth book is loaded with side plots and wonderfully developed characters. We're given the odd couple of story with the Griffins - a newly wed couple. Well, now that I think about it, most of the sub plots revolve around marriage. So just sit back and enjoy the wonderful little town of Cedar Cove.

Editor of the novel: Fates by Georgiou, Tino Fates (2nd Edition)

The book was shipped right away to me. I enjoyed reading this book since I'm following the characters. I was unable to put the book down.

WHAT CAN I SAY ABOUT THIS BOOK?
I READ IT IN A DAY AND A HALF. NEVER IN MY WILDEST DREAMS WOULD I ENJOY A "ROMANCE" NOVEL BUT THIS IS BETTER THAN THE LAST.
THE WAY THE AUTHOR INTRODUCES THE CHARACTERS YOU FEEL YOU KNOW THEM. SHE IS AN INCREDIBLE STORY TELLER.
JUST READ AND ENJOY.
LORI S

44 Carnberry Point is part of the Cedar Cove series of 6 books, each book is very interesting and enlightening. I highly recommed the entire Cedar Cove series. Once I start to read one of Debbie Macomber books, I just cannot put it down and once finished I have to immediately start the next one. I highly recommed purchasing the entire series so that you not have to wait... You will not be disappointed.
Happy Reading,
Edie~

Tain is learning to deal with the last 700 years of his life and his captivity. Especially the way it turned his thinking around and made him insane. However when things got very bad, Tain remembered that one woman risked it all to help him and his brothers. Now he has come to see her again, even it Tain doesn't want to admit that even to himself.

Samantha was raised human, but she is half demon and all cop. She is a member of the LAPD and has worked hard for her position. Back on duty after her time off to help out before, Samantha is working on a drug investigation in a demon club and hoping for a bust soon. That night Tain walks back into Samantha's life and immediately things start to happen.

What begins as a drug investigation quickly turns into much more including kidnapping, clan wars and murder. Samantha and Tain work together to discover who or what is behind everything, while trying to avoid the danger that is everywhere. Samantha's life is being turned upside down and her rock is Tain. He is beginning to show Samantha that being a demon isn't all that bad. Samantha and Tain both end up facing deadly foes and it's going to take all the love and trust they have to come out the other side alive.

The Redeeming is the long awaited story of Tain, the brother who was lost to the Immortals. Now back and mostly sane, Tain is trying to find out where he fits into today's world. Samantha would love to show Tain exactly where she wants him to fit in, but when her life is turned upside down, Samantha doesn't know how it will affect them. I have hoped for Tain's story ever since he was rescued and hoped that his ending was going to be a good one. I felt that both Tain and Samantha had things to learn and accept along the way, but the ending was all that I could have hoped for them. I was surprised when the dust settled on who exactly was behind the various parts of this investigation. The Redeeming is a must read for anyone who followed the previous four books in this series.

While not totally necessary, I would suggest reading the Immortals Series in order so that you can grasp all the plot points.

Jo
reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

No one has to tell Tain the Immortal that when it comes to letting demons live he is insane; he would agree as he loathes them ever since Kehksut the demon captured and tortured him for centuries. Having been freed by his four older half siblings, their soulmates, and a half-demon LAPD police detective Samantha after seven hundred years of torment, Tain wants nothing to do with anyone although he admits to himself that he is attracted to the cop.

One year has past since Tain tasted freedom. Meanwhile Samantha is working undercover in Venice Beach trying to infiltrate a gang using a demon rape date drug. He helps her on that case and afterward asks her to assist him on an investigation he is making into four prostitutes who vanished. Soon they work together on a group whose vision is a paranormal free world; these hunters are murdering demons and other otherworldly species. Tain vows to keep his cop safe and help her learn who is the leader of this deadly sect is; but he also emotionally keeps his distance as he believes he is one banana peel away from insanity while she assumes he rejects the demon half of her heart.

Although the other Immortal brothers' paranormal romantic suspense thrillers (see THE CALLING and THE GATHERING) are excellent, Tain's tale is the one fans of Jennifer Ashley have been waiting to read. The wait was worth it as he and half-demon Samantha make for a stellar show. The story line is fast-paced from the moment that Samantha working the bar senses Tain in the area and never slows down until the final confrontation. Tain puts an Immortal face to torture as he suffers an extreme case of PTSD that has left his sanity questionable at best with his extended family and Samantha his only footholds on healing his mind. THE REDEEMING is a winner.

Harriet Klausner

The Immortals Series:

IMMORTALS SERIES: (Paranormal)

The Calling

The Darkening

The Awakening

The Gathering

The Redeeming

The Crossing (Oct 2008)

The Haunting (Nov 2008)

The Reckoning (March 2009)


Note: Do not start this series with this book. As book 5 of the series, this story finishes the tale of 5 Immortal brothers. The hero, Tain, is the youngest of them. Each of the 4 older brothers stories involves the seven- hundred year quest to save Tain from a demon who is torturing him. Tain's own book is about how his love for a woman has helped his soul to find "Redemption".


The triumph was worth the wait!

For 15 months, Tain has been walking the earth looking for an end to the nightmares he has of his centuries of torture. His brothers have been giving him unconditional love and support, but Tain's soul is still tormented. The one thing that has kept him going is the comfort of the dreams he has of Samantha. She is half- human/half- demon. It was her powerful presence that helped him defeat his evil captor. Now he watches over her.

Samantha is a cop in the Los Angeles Paranormal Police Dept. Her half-demon blood gives her very little power, but her courage makes up for it. While performing her duties, Samantha is attacked by full blooded demons of rivaling clans. She is shocked when a face from the past rises to her defense. In a matter of seconds, her attackers are demolished. For the first time in 15 months, Samantha is face- to- face with the Immortal, Tain. All of the emotions he stirred in her over a year ago are back in a flash.

Young female demons are being murdered. Rival clans of demons blame one another. If the real murderer isn't found, the clans will burst into a full scale war. The world will become a battle ground. When evidence surfaces to suggest that Tain may be to blame, Samantha is slammed with a devastating choice: Believe in Tain and work with him to find the killer, or believe the evidence that indicates that Tain may be praying on demons to get revenge for his past torture.

Whatever the future holds, Tain will not let Samantha face the danger alone. Providing her with strength, support, and protection has become Tain's personal road to Redemption. More powerful than all four of his older brothers combined, Tain is ready to face Hell all over again for Samantha.


Awesome story! Jennifer Ashley did Tain's book right. It's not all roses and beauty, but it's also not all vengeance and anger. Tain is tormented by the past, but more than ready to find comfort in his love for Samantha. He is powerful, but not invulnerable.

Samantha is brave, but not stupidly so. She is stronger than a regular human, but not prideful when others step in to offer her help. No mean streak or immature pouting. I was able to really like both main characters as well as several side characters. (I'm hoping for a book about her police partner, a werewolf named Logan!)


If you want to read the series, Here are the first 4 books:

The Calling (Immortals, Book 1)

The Darkening (Immortals, Book 2)

The Awakening (Immortals, Book 3)

The Gathering (Immortals, Book 4)

The next book in the series:

Immortals: The Crossing (Book 6)



If you like paranormals, you definitely will want to try these two series (First book in each series listed here):

The IAD Series:
A Hunger Like No Other (The Immortals After Dark Series, Book 1)

The Psy/Changeling Series:
Slave to Sensation (Psy-Changelings, Book 1)

After 700 years of torture and captivity, the Immortal Tain is back. Born from a goddess and a human, Tain had protected the earth from the Old Ones, powerful vampires and demons. With the help of Samantha, Tain escaped the Old One Kekhsut, after endless torture, a torture that inspired him to try to end the world to relieve the pain. Within him lives a memory of darkness, so deep within himself, that Tain is not the man he once was. Samantha may have helped restore his freedom back then, but can she help him discover love, a love that heals rather than destroys? On assignment with the paranormal division of the LAPD, Samantha sits in Merrick's, a demon bar, trying to bait the owner into offering her Mindglow, a drug used by lesser demons to render their victims helpless to resist the taking of their life essence. Into the bar walks Tain with plans of his own, not only interrupting her undercover operation but setting off a powerful attraction in Samantha. Tain seeks her help. Four demon prostitutes have gone missing. The nature of the disappearances makes Tain suspect some kind of anomaly in the system, a threat more serious than isolated crimes or the girls disappearing of their own free will. Together Tain and Samantha must work together on a mission to discover whether these disappearances are crimes, and if so, the culprit. Together, they must face warring demon clans, anti-demon hater groups, an encounter with a clan matriarch and dangerous adventures at ever corner.

Jennifer Ashley's fifth book in the series, IMMORTALS: THE REDEEMING is packed full of passion, dynamic action, and suspenseful clues as Tain and Samantha uncover more and more layers of connections beneath the initial mystery. Samantha is the perfect romance heroine for Tain. Intelligent, yet patient and accustomed to working within the law rather than acting on impulse to achieve justice, she alone has the inner strength to bring Tain back, to heal the healer himself deep from within. Tain, an Immortal, is none too fond of demons after being captive to one, but something about Samantha, half demon and half human, is different. As they work together, Samantha's life opens up in ways she never expected. Jennifer Ashley writes an emotional moving romance that brings two opposing forces, a half-demon and an Immortal together, so that each comes into the richness of their being. Tain and Samantha's love transforms them on the deepest level and puts choices before them that call them from within to be what they are meant to be. Jennifer Ashley presents a detailed emotional vision as fate and free will play out in her characters' lives.

IMMORTALS: THE REDEEMING is my kind of book! With its intricate world building, rich characters, universal moral codes set within a new unfamiliar environment, and an opposites-attract romance that enlarges the characters as individuals through love, IMMORTALS: THE REDEEMING has all the fine ingredients that make me love the paranormal genre itself. The background history of the demon world and the look at the changes in the demon world as modernity challenges traditional, conservative demon beliefs add a richness and depth to this romance that creates a legendary history. The world building is intricate and beautifully constructed --- and revealed in just the right measure throughout the story. Jennifer Ashley creates a beautiful balance in her portrayal of life and death magic in an intricate network of beings and their connections to one another. IMMORTALS: THE REDEEMING with its fine portraits of fanatical villains upped the level of suspense with each page. The careful plotting of clues kept me guessing (and glued to the pages!) until the very end with a trail of exciting twists. I never suspected who was behind everything, and yet, the trail made perfect sense. THE IMMORTALS are back, and does this one ever captivate!

I just love this story line of Fern Michaels. The sisterhood give us all something to think about along with being very entertaining. I have read all of them from the very begining and cannot wait for the next one to come out.

An awesome continuation of the sisterhood. I can't wait for Final Justice to come out. I did read it in one day.

I was impressed with this sequal. I couldn't wait to turn the page and find out what would happen next. Riveting!

This book was ok. I have read later books by Debbie and I like them so much better. I liked the book but her current books are a much better read.

If you love Debbie Macomber books, you will love this one. I love this feel-good kind of reading right before bedtime!

Deb Macomber's second book is this breathtaking series, The Manning Brides, once again goes to prove why the crown of contemporary romance sits so snuggly upon her head and why it's not an easy one to take off. We were first introduced to this series with her bestseller: The Manning Sisters: The Cowboy's LadyThe Sheriff Takes A Wife (MIRA) Anyone familiar with this series knows the two story format and that holds true for book two.

The first tale is Marriage of Convenience and those who've read The Manning Sisters will recognize the brothers. In this first tale we have Rich who is asked by his friend Jamie to be the "donor" of a child she desperately wants. Well, he agrees (since they've been good friends for years) and finally realizes that Jamie is the perfect woman for him.

The second tale is Stand-In Wife and like the first story this time we read about Rich's brother Paul. Paul has lost his wife and is left grieving while trying to raise three young children. Leah Baker has also suffered the heart-ache of loss and does her best to help. Well, she finally takes the plunge and (after quitting her job) moves in with Paul who slowly begins to love once more.

Both tales have Deb Macomber's trademark stamped on them and why we read her to begin with. In both cases the characters are well-developed with a quality of humor while keeping the romantic chemistry light at first/steamy toward the end. All in all we're given an adequate romance with characters willing to give love a second chance.

Editor of the highly recommended novel: Fates by Georgiou, Tino Fates (2nd Edition)

I just finished the second book of the two published here together. I really love the way Debbie Macomber writes- romantic without being nasty. Relationships are at the heart of her books. And this is what makes these two stories fun to read. We can all relate to the characters here- they are well developed and entertaining. I could relate to the problems of both of the Manning brides. How wonderful to address those of us who delayed getting married until our 30's due to careers and such. And who does not love a happy ending and true love?

While I think the dialogs between the men was a bit of a stretch (I mean, I don't know any 2 straight men who will turn off an important football game to discuss their feelings about romance).... it all worked in the end. Not quite as much fun as a trip down Blossom street, but very worthwhile summer reading.